emirates7 - Chef Vijay Kumar from South India didn’t need luxurious ingredients like truffle oil or caviar to earn one of America’s highest culinary accolades. Instead, he drew on the comfort and authenticity of sambhar, rice, and a firm belief that the food of his Tamil Nadu childhood belonged on the world stage.
At the 2025 James Beard Awards, Kumar — the culinary force behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Semma in New York City — was named Best Chef: New York State. The win marked a milestone not just for him personally, but for the wider recognition of regional Indian cuisine.
Growing up in the farming village of Arasampatti in Madurai, Kumar’s earliest culinary experiences came from meals cooked over open flames, local snails gathered from rice paddies, and steaming pots of peppery rasam. Today, those same bold, deeply rooted flavors are proudly served in Semma’s bustling dining room in Manhattan’s West Village.
There’s no butter chicken or naan at Semma, and no attempts to tone things down. Instead, diners are introduced to powerful Tamil flavors through dishes like nathai pirattal (snail curry), vazhakkai varuval (crispy raw banana), and milagu mutton — all presented with confidence and pride.
Accepting his award in a traditional white veshti, Kumar emphasized the significance of the moment. “The food I grew up on — made with care, with fire, with soul — is now taking the main stage,” he declared. It was a moving moment, celebrating Tamil cuisine not as a novelty, but as something deeply authentic and worthy of acclaim.
Since its 2021 opening, Semma — a Tamil slang word meaning “fantastic” — has been redefining the fine-dining landscape. Co-founded with restaurateurs Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya, the restaurant's mission is clear: to offer genuine Tamil food, prepared with seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and no shortcuts. Even the cocktails reflect the restaurant’s cultural roots, with curry leaf–infused gin and names inspired by Tamil cinema.
Kumar’s recognition goes beyond the kitchen. It’s about representation, about challenging perceptions of who can thrive in elite culinary circles. As Padma Lakshmi noted, his journey speaks to resilience, creativity, and unshakable belief. She hailed him as a symbol of hope — not just for chefs, but for all artists striving to elevate their heritage.
By embracing his roots — and wearing them proudly on stage — Kumar has done more than win a title. He’s ignited a subtle but powerful shift in the food world, one sambhar-scented dish at a time.
At the 2025 James Beard Awards, Kumar — the culinary force behind the Michelin-starred restaurant Semma in New York City — was named Best Chef: New York State. The win marked a milestone not just for him personally, but for the wider recognition of regional Indian cuisine.
Growing up in the farming village of Arasampatti in Madurai, Kumar’s earliest culinary experiences came from meals cooked over open flames, local snails gathered from rice paddies, and steaming pots of peppery rasam. Today, those same bold, deeply rooted flavors are proudly served in Semma’s bustling dining room in Manhattan’s West Village.
There’s no butter chicken or naan at Semma, and no attempts to tone things down. Instead, diners are introduced to powerful Tamil flavors through dishes like nathai pirattal (snail curry), vazhakkai varuval (crispy raw banana), and milagu mutton — all presented with confidence and pride.
Accepting his award in a traditional white veshti, Kumar emphasized the significance of the moment. “The food I grew up on — made with care, with fire, with soul — is now taking the main stage,” he declared. It was a moving moment, celebrating Tamil cuisine not as a novelty, but as something deeply authentic and worthy of acclaim.
Since its 2021 opening, Semma — a Tamil slang word meaning “fantastic” — has been redefining the fine-dining landscape. Co-founded with restaurateurs Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya, the restaurant's mission is clear: to offer genuine Tamil food, prepared with seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and no shortcuts. Even the cocktails reflect the restaurant’s cultural roots, with curry leaf–infused gin and names inspired by Tamil cinema.
Kumar’s recognition goes beyond the kitchen. It’s about representation, about challenging perceptions of who can thrive in elite culinary circles. As Padma Lakshmi noted, his journey speaks to resilience, creativity, and unshakable belief. She hailed him as a symbol of hope — not just for chefs, but for all artists striving to elevate their heritage.
By embracing his roots — and wearing them proudly on stage — Kumar has done more than win a title. He’s ignited a subtle but powerful shift in the food world, one sambhar-scented dish at a time.